Blood type B might imply longevity

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between blood groups and life expectancy. We compared frequencies of ABO blood group in 269 centenarians (persons over 100 years) living in Tokyo and those in regionally matched controls (n=7153). Frequencies of blood types A, O, B, and AB in centenarians were 34.2, 28.3, 29.4, and 8.2%, respectively, while those in controls were 38.6, 30.1, 21.9, and 9.4%, respectively. Blood type B was observed more frequently in centenarians than in controls (chi(2)=8.41, P=0.04). This tendency also was true in comparison between centenarians and 118 elderly old individuals of the 7153. Approximate one-third of the centenarians were free from serious diseases such as malignancy. However, blood types were not associated with such medical records. Our findings suggest that blood type B might be associated with exceptional longevity. Responsible mechanisms need to be investigated.

Dietary patterns and further survival in Japanese centenarians

We have previously reported that centenarians (persons > or = 100 y old) in Tokyo prefer dairy products. Dietary preferences may be associated with longevity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between dietary patterns and further survival in centenarians. During 1992-1999, we examined the dietary practices of 104 centenarians (29 men and 75 women; mean age, 100.3 +/- 0.9 y) who lived in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Dietary patterns were classified by kappa-means cluster analysis. As clinical co-variables, we considered activities of daily living, cognitive function, nutritional status, presence of important disease, gender, and age at the time of the initial survey. Survival data were recorded yearly until 2001, and then tested with Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log rank statistic. Four dietary patterns were identified: a pattern preferring vegetables (n = 33), a pattern preferring dairy products (n = 26), a pattern preferring beverages (n = 10), and a pattern preferring cereals (n = 35). No clinical variables differed between the four dietary patterns. In 2001, 28 centenarians were still alive. The survival rate for those preferring dairy products was the highest of the four dietary patterns; in particular, being significantly higher than the pattern preferring beverages (p = 0.048). A dietary pattern preferring dairy products was associated with increased survival in Tokyo-area centenarians.

Endogenous amino acids in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus)

To determine the amount of endogenous amino acids in budgerigars (sekiseiinko, Melopsittacus undulatus), as the first step of evaluating amino acid requirements, three experiments were conducted. In Experiments 1 and 2, transit time of the feeds through the digestive tract in budgerigars was studied. The birds were given free access to a corn-based diet containing 50% barium sulfate in Experiment 1, and Japanese millets (hie, Echinochloa utilis) with 0.5 ml of 50% barium sulfate solution in Experiment 2. At intervals of 0.5 to 2 hr, roentgenography was conducted to identify the position of the barium sulfate in the digestive tract. The results showed that the transit time of pellets and millets in the digestive tract was within 24 and 27 hr, respectively. In Experiment 3, to determine the amount of endogenous amino acids in budgerigars, the excreta were collected for 24 hr, from 27 to 51 hr after fasting. The excreta were hydrolyzed with 6 N hydrochloric acid at 110 degrees C for 22 hr for the determination of amino acids by HPLC. The endogenous Ala, Arg, Leu, Lys, Phe and Val were estimated to be 34.9, 36.8, 18.5, 20.3, 15.3 and 18.9 micrograms/day/BW0.75, respectively, which were higher than those in adult roosters.

Tissue differences in protein synthesis of the budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus)

In a series of experiment to elucidate the rule of amino acid requirements in the fowls from small to large ones, the fractional synthesis rates (FSR) of protein were determined to collect basal data on protein and amino acid metabolism in budgerigars as a small bird. Twenty young adult budgerigars were injected with 0.1 ml/10 g body weight containing 40 microCi/100 mumol phenylalanine/ml in a wing vein, and killed at 2 and 10 min after the injection. The FSR in the whole body, liver, proventriculs and gizzard, intestine and breast muscle were determined. The FSR were not the same in all tissues, and estimated values were highest in the liver (104.7), and followed by the intestines (68.0), whole body (55.2), proventriculs + Gizzard (46.8), heart (35.8) and breast muscle (26.9%/day).